Cold, hungry and on the verge of tears, Ana a, 17 year old with a 22 month old baby on her hip, contacted the Children of the City office desperate for help.
She had been living with her mother in a shelter in the Bronx until the family relocated to the Sunset Park area. Anxious to finish high school, or get her GED, she was seeking advice and emotional support.
The counselors in our mentoring program welcomed Ana and told her about our tutoring, GED and college bound programs. They took some time to explain all of her options and how COC could be of service. As Ana, bonded with her mentor that afternoon she learned about the parenting classes and support groups that COC offered for herself , her mother, and the baby. Ana’s eyes widen as she was offered a box of pampers and emergency food to help get her through the week.
Ana is currently finishing up her last semester in a nearby high school and hoping to enroll in a CUNY college next year.